Amazing Places to Live the Rest of Your Life
RISMEDIA, May 13, 2008
Barbara Corcoran has built her career on knowing where people will live even before they know it themselves. In NEXTVILLE: Amazing Places to Live the Rest of Your Life (Springboard Press; April 29, 2008), she turns her incomparable real estate eye on Baby Boomers planning for retirement and predicts “the next big things” in real estate for that enormous demographic.
Where, and maybe even more importantly, how do you want to live once you’ve escaped the 9-to-5 grind? In NEXTVILLE, Corcoran identifies the top eight trends that are changing where and how Boomers are retiring. She also helps you to figure out what’s most important in your next place - whether it’s pursuing your passions, living green, finding community, living young in a city or college town, or even staying right in your hometown. She considers how Boomers, healthier and wealthier than their parents at retirement, are generally not interested in traditional retirement locations and offers a look into the places that will make all types of personalities happy for the next phase of their lives. Along the way, Corcoran delivers her invaluable “Barb’s Rules” for choosing real estate.
Barbara Corcoran founded the successful Corcoran Group real estate company and served as CEO until she sold it in 2005. She is currently the real estate contributor to NBC’s Today Show, writes a weekly column for the New York Daily News and will be the host of CNBC’s upcoming “The Millionaire Broker with Barbara Corcoran.” She is the author of the national bestseller "Use What You’ve Got."
Warren Berger has written for Wired and the New York Times and is the author of several books on the subjects of lifestyle, design and advertising.
Barb’s Ten Rules to Live Happily Ever After
1. Forget Florida. I’m not just talking Florida here. I’m talking about conventional retirement, in the usual ways and the usual places. Remember that the only worthy goal is to find what suits you, not your parents.
2. Think outside the hammock. You can rest when you’re dead. Your second act should be about doing, not just relaxing.
3. Choose people over palm trees. Palm trees make lousy conversationalists. When it comes to your next place, the people who surround you will make or break the experience.
4. Think passions, not pastimes. A pastime is something you do to fill your time. A passion is something you do to fill your soul.
5. Turn back the clock. Head for a place that allows you to be young again.
6. Release your inner good guy. Find a way to help others in your new community. It’s the single best way to help yourself.
7. No place is too far away. Be willing to stray. You have the courage and the know-how to go anywhere and make a home there if you like.
8. Be willing to stay. If your current home is your idea of paradise, then put away the suitcases-you’re already in Nextville. But decide to make it new again and truly make it (and your life) better.
9. Take a test drive. Live in a new place temporarily or plan lots of visits. Don’t trust what anyone, including me, tells you about the place. Snoop around.
10. Life is short. There’s no time for regrets. Be adventurous. Be happy. Live your dream.
Monday, July 28, 2008
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Over Priced Listings- No One Wins.
Silly as it may sound, lots of real estate agents -- even in a buyer's marjet where little is selling --
take overpriced listings.
Sometimes its deliberate. As a seller interviews each agent, often the estimate of value creeps upward. Each agent interviewed will top the price of the agent before knowing the seller wants to hear a high sale price. A seller who chooses an agent based on which estimate is highest is the ultimate loser. Yet almost every seller operates in this manner. It's a shame so few agents take the time to educate sellers that other factors such as marketing plans and the agent's negotiation abilities are far more important than estimate of value. The comps speak loudly if an agent and seller take time to look at them. Ultimately, the market place establishes value.
Sometimes the Seller has Unreasonable Expectations. This still doesn't excuse the agent from explaining how appraisers determine value. A home on a storybook street in a desirable area was priced $100,000 too high. When asked why, the agent replied, "I know it's overpriced, but I would have lost the listing to somebody else if I didn't agree to that price." Turns out a home two doors down sold for a high figure, but that home had been meticulously maintained, and it boasted a newly remodeled kitchen with top-of-the-line appliances. By comparison, this home was a fixer, but the seller insisted he could get the same price as his neighbor.
Some sellers and agents consider starting high and reducing later. Studies show that interest in a home typically wanes after a few weeks, so there are fewer buyers for that home when the price falls. Buyers also think there is something wrong with a home that doesn't sell right away or they worry the seller dropped the price because a major defect was discovered. Long days on the market and big price reductions hurt. They hurt the seller, and they often make a buyer wonder how much lower the price could drop. So, a buyer will often offer even less after a price reduction.
In conclusion, choose your agent based on honesty, ethics, experience, competence and marketing, and don't chase after those tossing around the biggest numbers
take overpriced listings.
Sometimes its deliberate. As a seller interviews each agent, often the estimate of value creeps upward. Each agent interviewed will top the price of the agent before knowing the seller wants to hear a high sale price. A seller who chooses an agent based on which estimate is highest is the ultimate loser. Yet almost every seller operates in this manner. It's a shame so few agents take the time to educate sellers that other factors such as marketing plans and the agent's negotiation abilities are far more important than estimate of value. The comps speak loudly if an agent and seller take time to look at them. Ultimately, the market place establishes value.
Sometimes the Seller has Unreasonable Expectations. This still doesn't excuse the agent from explaining how appraisers determine value. A home on a storybook street in a desirable area was priced $100,000 too high. When asked why, the agent replied, "I know it's overpriced, but I would have lost the listing to somebody else if I didn't agree to that price." Turns out a home two doors down sold for a high figure, but that home had been meticulously maintained, and it boasted a newly remodeled kitchen with top-of-the-line appliances. By comparison, this home was a fixer, but the seller insisted he could get the same price as his neighbor.
Some sellers and agents consider starting high and reducing later. Studies show that interest in a home typically wanes after a few weeks, so there are fewer buyers for that home when the price falls. Buyers also think there is something wrong with a home that doesn't sell right away or they worry the seller dropped the price because a major defect was discovered. Long days on the market and big price reductions hurt. They hurt the seller, and they often make a buyer wonder how much lower the price could drop. So, a buyer will often offer even less after a price reduction.
In conclusion, choose your agent based on honesty, ethics, experience, competence and marketing, and don't chase after those tossing around the biggest numbers
TESTIMONIALS
Here's what my clients have to say:
" Paula did a fantastic job finding me my first house in Catonsville. She really knows all the ins and outs of this area. From the begining, she was serious about looking for the type of home I wanted. Paula and I tried to find a place that had all of my must haves as well as my I really wants and a few of my in a dream world criteria. When she emailed me the listing for my home it was perfect. Paula helped me negotiate the price so that I could have this great house. I am so thrilled to live here. I would definatly recomend her for anyone looking to move to Catonsville, Ellicott City or Halthorpe."
Alicia, Catonsville
"I recently had the pleasure of working with Paula as I began my search for a new home. As a first-time home buyer, I was very appreciative of Paula’s knowledge and her willingness to answer my questions throughout the entire process. Paula was very professional and extremely helpful. I appreciated her flexibility and strong communication skills as we went through the home-buying process. I felt very comfortable working with her and I always felt that she had my best interests in mind. She worked very hard to make sure that I was able to find what I wanted in a house, which was no easy task. Overall, I was very satisfied with the experience and I love my new home. I have and will continue to recommend Paula in the future.
Adrian, Baltimore
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
" Paula did a fantastic job finding me my first house in Catonsville. She really knows all the ins and outs of this area. From the begining, she was serious about looking for the type of home I wanted. Paula and I tried to find a place that had all of my must haves as well as my I really wants and a few of my in a dream world criteria. When she emailed me the listing for my home it was perfect. Paula helped me negotiate the price so that I could have this great house. I am so thrilled to live here. I would definatly recomend her for anyone looking to move to Catonsville, Ellicott City or Halthorpe."
Alicia, Catonsville
"I recently had the pleasure of working with Paula as I began my search for a new home. As a first-time home buyer, I was very appreciative of Paula’s knowledge and her willingness to answer my questions throughout the entire process. Paula was very professional and extremely helpful. I appreciated her flexibility and strong communication skills as we went through the home-buying process. I felt very comfortable working with her and I always felt that she had my best interests in mind. She worked very hard to make sure that I was able to find what I wanted in a house, which was no easy task. Overall, I was very satisfied with the experience and I love my new home. I have and will continue to recommend Paula in the future.
Adrian, Baltimore
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fix Your Home Up Now!
Fix it up now!
Often, I meet sellers who are updating their homes in preparation to sell. They paint, de-clutter, replace carpet, install new kitchen hardware and make all the little repairs they have been postponing. The home looks so good they are sorry to leave. Instead of making your home fresh for the next owner, why not consider making those changes now! Look at your home as if you were going to sell. Perhaps hire a stager to rearrange the furniture and suggest a new paint color. If you ever decide to sell, your home will be ready. In the meantime, you can enjoy the freshness.
Paula PaulaHuber@KW.com
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Check my website PaulaHuber.yourKWagent.com
Real Estate Blog RealtorMaryland.blogspot.com
Catonvsville Blog CatonsvilleBlog.blogspot.com
Often, I meet sellers who are updating their homes in preparation to sell. They paint, de-clutter, replace carpet, install new kitchen hardware and make all the little repairs they have been postponing. The home looks so good they are sorry to leave. Instead of making your home fresh for the next owner, why not consider making those changes now! Look at your home as if you were going to sell. Perhaps hire a stager to rearrange the furniture and suggest a new paint color. If you ever decide to sell, your home will be ready. In the meantime, you can enjoy the freshness.
Paula PaulaHuber@KW.com
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Check my website PaulaHuber.yourKWagent.com
Real Estate Blog RealtorMaryland.blogspot.com
Catonvsville Blog CatonsvilleBlog.blogspot.com
Is it the right time to buy a home?
Yes, says the "wannabuyers". Potential buyers are looking at foreclosures, waiting for prices to drop and trying to time the market, which may be risky. "In general, it is very difficult to time the market," said Raphael Bostic, associate director of the University of Southern California's Lusk Center for Real Estate. "The real problem with that is you don't know when the floor is until after it's passed. If the floor is right now, you missed it."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
